Iran strikes ADNOC tanker in Strait of Hormuz, UAE condemns attack
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Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday condemned an Iranian missile attack on an Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) tanker while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attack constituted a flagrant violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2817, which emphasises freedom of navigation and rejects attacks on commercial vessels or disruption of international maritime routes.
ADNOC, the state-owned oil company of Abu Dhabi, is one of the world's largest oil companies by production.
The Ministry said targeting commercial shipping and using the Strait of Hormuz as a means of economic pressure or blackmail constituted an “act of piracy” by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). It warned that such actions posed a direct threat to regional stability and the safety of people, as well as global energy security.
The UAE also stressed the need for Iran to halt what it described as “aggressive attacks” and reaffirmed its full commitment to stopping all hostile acts and ensuring the complete and unconditional reopening of the Strait.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has reaffirmed Tehran's commitment to dialogue to safeguard its rights, while stressing that Iran would not be forced to surrender.
Pezeshkian made the remarks in an interview published on the website of his office on Friday (local time), while defending the Iranian government's decision to enter negotiations with the United States and sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at ending the war.
He said Iran remained committed to its obligations as long as the US fulfilled its commitments under the MoU, adding, “Wherever they fail to fulfil their commitment, we have no obligation to continue.”
In June, Iran and the US signed the MoU, under which the two sides were scheduled to hold negotiations within a 60-day period to reach a final agreement. However, renewed tensions between the two countries have left the future of the talks uncertain.
With IANS inputs